Modern Nigerian print-making as an
art form can be dated back to the school in Zaria in the late 1950s, though here the
emphasis was on print-making as a commercial medium. However, among the
graduates of this programme are two of the most prominent of Nigeria's
print-makers: Bruce Onobrakpeya and Solomon Irein Wangboje. While Wangboje is renowned
for his wood cuts and lino prints, Onobrakpeya is world famous for his
elaborate works in metal foil reliefs, plasto-cast reliefs as well as other
mixed media techniques.
Professor
Chinua Achebe the renowned Nigerian author has been rightly referred to in many
ways as the father of African literature. It is unbelievable that this
international giant of letters authored his world famous classic – Things Fall Apart in 1958 when the young
writer was just 28 years of age. This particular work has so far been
translated into over 50 international languages having sold over 10 million
copies internationally.
Prof Chinua Achebe
Two
years ago Achebe made headlines when he turned down a $1million offer from
American Hip-Hop star, Curtis Jackson popularly known as 50 Cent, for
permission to use the ‘Things Fall Apart’ title for a movie he was about
making. The renowned essayist and political critic was serving as Professor of
African studies at Brown University,
Rhode Island. As a mark of his
staunch political and principled stance on matters of integrity, and relating
to his utter disgust at the manner of political leadership style back home in Nigeria, Achebe in the course of time had had cause to reject two national
merit awards by successive governments, while decrying the state of affairs in
the country.
“Things Fall
Apart” which was illustrated by an equally renowned visual artist and childhood
and bosom friend of the writer - Prof Chike Okeke, went on to become one ofAfrica’s most read novels around the world. The man who is fondly called the father of modern African Literature
would rather be referred to as a “giant in world literature” by fellow Nigerian
writer - Biyi Bandele. A revered member of the titled elders’ forum called
Ichie, as well as an Ozo red cap chief of his Ogidi clan in Anambra State,
Chinua Achebe will be missed by all manner of readers and admirers of his
colourful prose crafted in the most eloquent mastery of story-telling.
Ndidi Dike
represents the very best and pride of the Nigerian female on the art scene and
indeed a gift of the beauty of Nigerian art to the world. She is a full-time
professional artist; she is multi-talented and easily identified as a sculptor,
mixed media specialist, a painter, art consultant, cultural activist, ceramist,
and textile designer. A 1984 graduate of the Fine and Applied
Art Department
of the University
of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ndidi
also has a diploma in Music Education. Her works, which are mostly sculptures
rendered in woodcarving, are usually characterised by a combination of
traditional Nigerian motifs and techniques, symbols and patterns to create
profound political and social commentaries.
Dike's Sculpture influenced by Uli design
Right from her
training days Ndidi Dike has always been interested in exploring how different
media can be incorporated into a traditional painterly style, and this is what
has modelled her performance as a multi-talented artist working and expressing
herself in diverse media techniques. On the surface however, Ndidi Dike's works
draw a lot from the artistic styles of one of her mentors and lecturer at the
Nsukka art school - El Anatsui. Her works of sculpture bear those marks of
influence as she also employs the burning technique and the use of the chain
saw to produce her works. But over the years, in her creative adventures Ndidi
has carved a special niche for herself, establishing her mark as an authority
in her genre and style of art.
History and archaeology have made it
possible for us to remain in touch with lost or ancient (great) civilisations
the world over through excavations and documentations. Sometimes, archaeology
and ethnography which is the study of modern people in their natural settings
can provide evidence that forces scholars to rethink the nature of the past. This
was exactly what happened in the case when a site in the forest region of (Onitsha)
Eastern Nigeria, Igbo-Ukwu, was discovered in the 1930s and 1940s, to contain
the remnants of a complex, settled, agricultural society dating back as far as
the 9th century AD.
Igbo Ukwu Bronze Vessel
This was the discovery – led by
Thurstan Shaw, of a lost ancient culture/civilisation that was advanced in its
days, and as such is very important historical evidence as regards the richness
and contributions of this part that is today a part of modern Nigeria. Of
particular interest is the source of the copper and lead used to make the
sophisticated bronze wares, which may have been Tadmekka in the Sahara, and of
the coloured glass beads, some of which may have come from Venice
and India, the latter via
trade routes through Egypt.
It is possible that the inhabitants
of Igbo Ukwu were able to develop a metal working art over 1,000 years ago.
Though the topic still remains controversial, what is known is that on this
site have been revealed hundreds of ritual vessels and bronze casting that are
among the most inventive and technically accomplished bronzes ever made. Igbo
Ukwu craftsmen are believed to be the earliest copper smiths in West Africa; they also practiced the lost wax-casting
method in their production of bronze artefacts. These casters were among the
best the world has ever seen. Within discovery reactions were high, some
scientists and historians suggest the Igbo Ukwu were taught these techniques by
foreigners. However thus far, the metals were mined from nearby areas and the
use of scarification show local origin and cultural continuity with modern day
Igbo cultures.
Where have we missed it; what is the
missing link? This is what we ought to be looking at today as a people in Nigeria.
In the past, scholars believed that
such societies had been absent from African forest regions. They also believed
that centralisation of some kind or another needed to accompany the development
of complex societies. This segment uses Igbo-Ukwu to demonstrate that complex
societies did not have to be centralised.
Indeed, a combination of
archaeological evidence and the study of modern Ibo peoples in Nigeria led
scholars to believe that the people of Igbo-Ukwu ordered their society through
a well informed system of self-governing villages headed by family leaders.
Instead of the highly stratified social hierarchy of centralised kingdoms or
city-states, the social order of Igbo-Ukwu emphasised common goals and group
achievements even in culture, administration, and technology, etc. The
discovery of Igbo-Ukwu and its sophisticated art forms have provided yet
another model by which scholars understand how ancient people ordered their
worlds.
Mona Lisa unlike most people would think is not
actually an imaginary title of a piece of art work. Rather, this painting
(1503-7), executed by the greatest artist and creative mind so far modern
history has known, arguably, – the Italian Renaissance master, Leonardo da
Vinci, and measuring 77cmx53cm, is the portrait of the wife of a local Italian
peasant.
Mona Lisa
Today this painting also arguably, is the most
important singular piece of artwork available today, both in terms of value, as
well as popularity, and bearing in mind that it is after all not a very large
scale job per se. The Mona Lisa is the
most famous painting in the history of art and continues to inspire oil
painting reproductions, parody, scientific theory, and more. According
to the Guinness Book of world Records, Mona Lisa was assessed for insurance
purposes at $100 million in 1962, but insurance was not concluded because the
cost of the strictest security precautions was less that of the premium.
Mona Lisa which is housed in the popular (Gallery)
Louvre in Paris, France, is a jealously and heavily guarded
and secured piece of art. It is protected in a climate controlled environment
and encased in bullet proof glass, a room which caused seven million dollars to
build at the time. This painting which is considered priceless and cannot
be insured has since become a proud property of the French people, and
government, and has therefore survived more than 500 years today.
Goethe Institute, Lagos recently staged an exhibition tagged 'Black.Light Project' (a photographic and Artist/Writers initiative) at the old Federal Government Press, No. 9, Broad Street, Lagos. It opened for public viewing and interaction on Saturday, 13th October, 2012.
Black.Light Project is an artistic project which saw the coming together of like minds in Artists, Photographers, Writers, etc. who at one time or the other were in the thick, or mere observers, of the conflicts of the war torn West African states of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Guinea Bissau, of not too distant memories.
The Black Light Project campaign
The project is an epic documentation from 15 graphic storytelling artists from all over the world, who joined the project by merging writings and photographs with drawings depicting daily life and survival during the wars in these four countries. These conflicts that have left their big scars on the surface of the African continent and more, have been captured from the peering eyes of artists and downloaded in this powerful and concise graphic narratives, and is on tour of different continents of the world.
Nimba – the War Lord says: “I have no need to be here.”
The desecration of peace and tranquillity, the rape of innocence by the whims and power cravings of the Samuel Does, Charles Taylors of this world, etc, can be seen in the general angst, reprisals, disillusionment in the faces of child soldiers, the black-out in an entire country such as Liberia, etc. But most importantly, these dark pictures with their graffiti and the stunning storylines should go a long way in awakening a continuous reflection and dialogue in our hearts. But will we ever learn our lessons? By: Morgan Nwanguma
The practice of sculpture in Nigeria is more popular in the traditional sense than in the academic or modern sense because here, it is mainly the traditional wood carver, and also the traditional bronze casters of, especially Benin that still hold sway. Most of these of course fall under the category of religious, cult or tourism art. Much of the tourism sculptures are visible around the five star hotels that dot the landscapes of the major cities. Some of the popular items in this category of popular art include wood, ivory and metal sculptures. Academic sculpture is still to be given its pride of place by the authorities, and patronage is still at its low
ebb.
It is however in the academic circles that academic art and sculpture is being exalted and propagated. This practice is however complemented by some of the exhibitions that are privately staged here and there from time to time as well as the activities of a few interior decorators that simply just live up to their name as decorators, that is. But in terms of public commissions, only a few important sculptures have been seen to be publicly commissioned or erected year in year out. We still look forward to greater improvements, and attaining the ideal which recognises that in the design or proposals for public buildings, due provisions should be made so as to incorporate artistic embellishments such as sculptures in the round, permanent installations, assemblages, and also ‘functional’ sculptures for instance as built into parks and gardens. Thus these are supposed to be so integrated as part and parcel of the overall projects. This has hardly been the case in Nigeria. Thus the government is yet to see reasons to institute endowments for the arts as is done in more civilised climes.
The popular mediums or techniques so far employed in Nigeria are usually in the range of concrete, metal, marble, fibreglass, wood, etc. Some important artists of this genre however could be just to mention a few: Yusuf Grillo, Abayomi Barber, Ben Ekanem, Ben Enwonwu, Ndidi Dike, Olu Amoda, Matthew Ehizele, El Anatsui, etc.
Morgan Chima Nwanguma
